Google to Shut RSS Service ‘Reader’ July 1
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) said it is ending its Reader service, an online tool that allows users to follow updates from their favorite websites through RSS feeds.
The company said Reader, which launched in 2005, will not be available after July 1, while acknowledging that the service still has a “loyal following,” Google said in a company blog post.
Google added that usage has declined over the years, and current users and developers will be able to export their data and subscriptions for use with RSS alternatives.
The announcement was one of eight bullet points in a blog post detailing “spring cleaning.” Google said it has now discontinued 70 features or services since 2011.
“We’re living in a new kind of computing environment. Everyone has a device, sometimes multiple devices. It’s been a long time since we have had this rate of change—it probably hasn’t happened since the birth of personal computing 40 years ago,” the company said in the post.
“To make the most of these opportunities, we need to focus—otherwise we spread ourselves too thin and lack impact.”
Shares of Google were down $1.45 to $823.86 a share Thursday morning.